Torque wrench



y 2'9, 1 c.- T.'TQRRESEN 2,250,736

TORQUE wnimcn Filed Dec. 19, 19:59

, ,I/VVENTOR Cam. I 71" 772812535.

'xrromgy.

Patented July 29, .1941

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 19, 1939, Serial No. 309,972

'1 Claims,

This invention relates to a torque wrench, particularly that type of wrench which will slip and rotate if a force greater than the predetermined one is exerted on the wrench.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel torque wrench, in which the force applied at one end of the wrench is transmitted to the socket shaft at the other end through a tensioned spring, and there is also a novel releasable means between the driving and driven end of the wrench,

' which will prevent rotation of the driven end of the wrench if a force greater than a predetermined one is exerted on the driving end of the wrench.

Still another object is to provide a novel means of tensioning the forced transmitting spring so that the driving torque of the wrench may be altered, as desired.

Still another object is to, provide a novel hold-.

ing means which will permit the wrench to. be used as a back-ofl' tool, and when so used, the maximum strength of the parts of thewrench are the only things which determine the amount of force which can be applied when so used.

Still another object is to provide a novel releasing means between the driving and driven members of the wrench, said driving means being simple, effective in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects, advantages and features of in-- vention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description, and v the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of my torque wrench, the socket shaft being shown in elevation. 4

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

, Figure 3'is a sectional view taken Em line 3' a of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the driving sleeve.

Figure 5 is an end view of the same.

Figure 6' is a longitudinal, sectional view of the housing taken on line 88 of Figure 7.,

Figure 7 is anend view of the same.

Figure 8 is an endview oi the driving head.

Figure9isa of Figure 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

the numeral I indicates an outer housing, which is preferably cylindrical or substantially cylindrical in form. At one; ,end of this housing, there is adiustably and removably mounted a driving head 2. This driving-head includes a socket or pin 3, upon which force is applied for the purpose of setting up a bolt, nut or the like, as will.

be evident from the subsequent description. My

torque wrench can be manually operated or it can be attached to an electric or pneumatic motor. A flange l is integrally formed with the socket or pin 3, and is provided with a plurality of external ribs 5. These ribs fit into the internal grooves 6, which are formed in one end of the body I. g

The head 2 is-held in position in the body I by the spring ring I or other suitable fastening means. It will be evident that by removing the fastening ring I, the head 3 can be pulled outwardly and rotated in either direction for the purpose of adjusting the tension of the driving spring, as will be further described. I A driving sleeve 8 is mounted within the housing I, and this sleeve is provided with an integral ring 9. The ring 9 is formed on one side with an elongated slot Ill, into which the back-oil pin II extends. This back-oil pin is fixedly mounted in the housing I, and projects into the slot I0, as shown in" Figures 1 and 3. A coil spring I2 is positioned within the housing I, and surrounds the sleeve 8. One end of the spring I2 extends into a bore I3 in the head 2, and the other end of the spring extends into the groove I 4 in the fiange 9 of the sleeve 8. A socket shaft I5 extends into the sleeve 8 and closely fits the inner surface of the. sleeve. This shaft is shoulderedagainst each end of the sleeve to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft. The shaft I5 is provided with a suitable .socket I6, which fits onto the nut or bolt to be tightened, or suitable extension the grooves I1 and are partly housed in the holes sectional viewtaken on line 9-9' I 8 of the sleeve 8. This arrangement is shown in Figure 2. The housing [is provided with internal recesses 20, which correspond-in number to the balls I 8. The recesses 20 are angular-1y spaced from the'normal driving position of the balls It, as shown in Figure Due to the tension of the spring I2, the sleeve! will be held in the position shown in Figure 3--that is, when the pin 'Il, bearing againstthe' rlght-ha'ndjwall of the groove I I. If the force'applied to the head 2 exceeds the tension of the spring I2 (and with the shaft ll held stationary against the bolt or nut), the sleeve 8 will rotate a distance permitted by the 'groovellL. The balls I8 are now in line with the recesses 20, and the torque applied to the wrench will cause these balls to spring outwardly'into the recesses 20, thus permitting the housing I and sleeve 8 to rotate around the shaft l8, thus indicating to the workman that the maximum desired torque has already been applied to the bolt or nut. By adjusting the head 2 in the body I, inthe manner previously described, the tension of the coil spring I! can be adjusted so that greater or less torque may be applied to the bolt or nut which is to be tightened. If it is desired to unscrew a nut or bolt, the pin ll being shouldered against one'side of the groove II) will permit the maximum torque to be applied for that purpose. It is obvious that either end of my wrench can be used as the driving or driven end.

Having described my-invention, I claim:

1. A torque wrench comprising a housing, driving means on one end of the housing, a socket shaft, a sleeve in the housing, said shaft being fitted in the sleeve, a spring under tension connected at one end to the driving means and at the other end to the sleeve, means releasable under excess torque connecting the sleeve and the socket shaft, and means to adjust said driving means relative to the sleeve whereby the tension of the spring may be varied.

2. A torque wrench comprising a housing, driving means on one end of the housing, a socket shaft, a sleeve in the housing, said shaft being fitted in the sleeve, a spring under tension connected atone end to the driving means and at the other end to the sleeve, the sleeve having spaced holes therein, a ball in each hole, said shaft having grooves into which each ball fits, andinternal recesses in the housing angularly spaced from the grooves, said balls being forced outwardly into said recesses to permit relative rotation of the shaft under excess torque, when the balls and recesses are aligned.-

3. A torque wrench comprising a housing, driving means on one end of the housing, a socket shaft, a sleeve in the housing, said shaft being fitted in the sleeve, a spring-under tension connected at one end to the driving means and at the other end to the sleeve, the sleeve having spaced holes therein, a ball in each hole, said shaft having grooves into which each ball fits, and internal recesses in the housing angularly spaced from the grooves, said balls being forced outwardly into said recesses to permit relative rotation of the shaft under excess torque, when the balls and recesses are aligned, and stop means engaged by the sleeve to limit rotation of the sleeve in the housing. f

4. A torque wrench comprising a housing, drivaesopee ing means on one end of the housing, asocket shaft, a sleeve in the housing, said shaft being fitted in the sleeve, a spring under tension connected at one end to the driving means and at 5 the other end to the sleeve, the sleeve havin spaced holes therein, a ball in each hole, said shaft having grooves into which each ball fits, and internal recesses in the housing angularly spaced 'from'the grooves, said balls being forced outwardly into said recesses to permit relative rotation of the shaft under excess torque, when the shaft, a sleeve in the housing, said shaft being fitted in the sleeve, a spring under tension O OIl-r nected at one end to the driving means and at the other end to the sleeve, the sleeve having spaced holes therein, a ball in each hole, said shaft having grooves into which each ball fits, and internal recesses in the housing angularly spaced from thegrooves, said ball being forced outwardly into said recesses to permit relative rotation of the shaft under excess torque, when the balls and recesses are aligned, and stop means engaged by the sleeve to limit rotation of the sleeve in the housing, and rotatably adjusting means connecting the housing and the driving means. 6. A torque wrench comprising a substantially cylindrical housing, a head rotatably adjustable in one end of the housing, a socket shaft projecting from the other end of the housing, a sleeve in the housing, the shaft being fitted in the sleeve, a spring under tension attached at one end to the head and at the other end to the sleeve, and means releasable under excess torque con- 40 necting the sleeve and the socket shaft.

7. A torque wrench comprising a substantially cylindrical housing, a head rotatably adjustable in one end of the housing, a socket shaft projecting from the other end of the housing, a sleeve in the housing, the shaft being fitted in the sleeve,

.a spring under tension attached at one end-to the head and at the other end to the sleeve, said sleeve having spaced holes therein, a ball positioned in each hole, the shaft having grooves into which each ball fits, said housing having internal recesses angularly spaced from the grooves, said balls being forced outwardly into said recesses to permit relative rotationof the shaft under excess torque and when the balls and recesses are aligned, said sleeve having an arcuate groove therein and a pin extending from the housing into the arcuate groove in the .sleeve whereby the rotation of the sleeve in the housing is limited.

so CAREL 'r. TORRESEN. 

